Boris Johnson’s leaked ‘Brexit in meltdown’ comments praised by Leave-backing Tories

LEAKED comments by Boris Johnson that Brexit is in “meltdown” have been praised by Leave- backing Tories, despite fury from the PM.

In explosive taped comments to Tory donors, the Foreign Secretary said Britain’s split from the EU was going off the rails and blamed Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond.

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He said Donald Trump would do a better job negotiating Brexit than the PM, called the Treasury the “heart of Remain” and urged Brexit-backers to “take the fight to the enemy”.

But he also sparked calls to quit by suggesting the Northern Irish border was “a folly” and said the UK was being played by the EU and Dublin.

His comments earned a slapdown from Mrs May.

Speaking in Canada, where the row threatened to overshadow her G7 visit, she said: “The border between Northern Ireland and Ireland matters. It matters to people who live on both sides of that border.

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“It matters to the United Kingdom because we want to ensure that we’re delivering a Brexit that works for every part of the United Kingdom, and that includes Northern Ireland.”

Pushed on whether Mr Johnson should be fired, Mrs May would only say: “People like Boris have strong views on Brexit but so do I.”

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Last night, Mrs May’s spokesman added: “The importance of the Northern Irish issue could not be clearer and has been a priority from day one”.

The Chancellor also ridiculed the Foreign Secretary’s comments.

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Mr Hammond said: “My experience has been that a collaborative approach is generally more productive than a confrontational approach.”

But he risked further enraging Tory backbenchers last night after calling for Mr Johnson to “engage” with Europe and “compromise” to get a Brexit deal.

Mr Johnson’s comments have delighted some Conservatives, who said he was right to let rip at the state of Brexit.

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Mid Bedfordshire MP Nadine Dorries said: “Boris is right. Philip Hammond is a roadblock to a successful Brexit and he has to go to make life easier for the Prime Minister.”

And ex-minister Sir Gerald Howarth said many Leave voters are “alarmed and deeply despondent” that we could be heading for “a Brexit in name only”.

It comes after another day of open civil war at the top of government where:

• BREXIT Secretary David Davis said he fears the party is heading for a “1997-style defeat” if we are not free from Brussels by the next election;
• MRS May warned her Brexit war cabinet that the EU secretly wants to keep Britain in the Customs Union and is working to that end;
• SHE will host another Cabinet summit at her country residence Chequers to try to bang heads together during the Brexit deadlock;
• AND she will issue a rallying call to all her MPs on Monday night, ahead of a crunch Commons showdown with the Tory rebels.